After Jordan, Emirates also furious with Netanyahu Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not only managed to get into a diplomatic row with Jordan, he also succeeded in angering the Emiratis. Israel
Iran operating new advanced centrifuges, nuclear watchdog finds According to an International Atomic Energy Agency report, Iran is now using IR-4 centrifuges to enrich uranium in violation of the nuclear accord. Iran
Lawsuit filed to close pro-Kurdish party after lawmaker stripped of parliamentary seat Omer Faruk Gergerlioglu, a pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party deputy known to focus on human rights abuses, was stripped of his parliament seat and a lawsuit was filed to close the party March 17. Turkey
Netanyahu courts Arab voters as 'Abu Yair' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has adopted a new strategy for the Arab public: cynically rebranding himself as "Abu Yair." Israel
Nuclear negotiators lean in as clock ticks on Iran deal As the March deadline for a nuclear deal looms, Iran and the P5+1 are down to deliberating enrichment capacity and sanctions relief as well as the duration of a final deal. Iran
Davutoglu's tragedy Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has failed to escape the shadow of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkey
Al-Azhar refuses to consider the Islamic State an apostate Al-Azhar's refusal to declare the Islamic State an apostate has triggered scrutiny at the growing Salafist faction in the institution. Egypt
Hollande-PYD meeting challenges Erdogan French President Francois Hollande, by hosting at Elysee Palace two Kurdish female leaders from Kobani, sends a strong message to Ankara. Syria
Are tensions straining AKP's inner circle? Despite rumors otherwise, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's relationships with his prime minister and former intelligence chief remain strong. Turkey
Bennett, Liberman battle for defense portfolio The next Israeli defense minister, be it Moshe Ya'alon, Avigdor Liberman or Naftali Bennett, will have to cope, together with new IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot, with a new reality in which Hezbollah targets Israel from the Syrian border. Israel
Damascus faces continual power outages Power outages in Damascus are unbearable, yet the government just directs blame at the opposition, failing to provide solutions. Syria
Hamas, Dahlan share rivalry toward Abbas Although officials say relations between former Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan and Hamas are limited to aid provided by Dahlan to the Palestinians in Gaza, the shared enmity toward President Mahmoud Abbas shows otherwise. Palestine
Palestinians rush to condemn murder of Jordanian pilot Right after the gruesome killing of the Jordanian pilot, Jordan’s TV broadcast the Palestinian imam’s condemnation of the crime, which indicates a rapprochement between Palestinians and Jordanians. Palestine
Kurds reject proposed rival force in Kirkuk The law to establish the National Guard forces in Iraq raised the ire of Kurds in northern Iraq who would rather remain in full control of their areas. Iraq
Arms shipment to Lebanon to arrive in April French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has announced that the first arms shipment of the Saudi grant, which has been stalled for more than year, will arrive to Lebanon on April 1. Saudi Arabia
Senate aims to set up vote on Iran deal by month's end The Foreign Relations panel expects to soon vote on legislation that would give Congress a say over a nuclear agreement. Congress
